Driving Aggressiveness - Intentionally Causing Accidents?

Hello all,

I have been noticing a disturbing trend I wished to ask about here. I wish to know if this is a problem that is local to my area, or something that is happening across the board.

What is happening is this. On coming to a red light at a four way intersection where both sides have both a turn lane and an arrow, if you approach the light too late in the cycle, you will not get the arrow. Instead, you simply have to wait till the influx of traffic waiting at the light moves through, and take your turn to turn left across traffic when you can.

The disturbing part which is happening more and more is, the people waiting, that missed the arrow, are jumping out in front of the oncoming traffic as soon as the light changes, gunning it in a left turn across traffic, usually causing the first person coming into the intersection to have to hit the brakes rather firmly.

I have seen this cause several accidents now. Not with the oncoming car hitting the aggressive left turner, but the person behind the first car hitting them, and sometimes setting off a chain reaction of several cars. Obviously, the people behind car one are at fault for following too close, not paying attention, etc., but the person that *caused* the accident *every* time has fled the scene leaving chaos in their wake.

It has happened to me more times than I can count. Not the accident part, but now whenever I am at a light, I literally expect the person to gun it across in front of me, so I tend to be slow approaching the intersection when the light changes. At least 75% of the time, I am right, and they do.

Why, in your opinion, are they doing this, and why does it seem to have become a trend?

Are they intentionally causing accidents for laughs?

Is this simply a selfish move from "entitled" people who don't think they have to wait their turn?

Is this happening in other areas, or is this just a local phenomenon in my area?

Please chime in and let me know! I am rather curious to find out. I been thinking about this a lot, and would like your opinions on this.

reply to post by Libertygal


It happens, and I agree that it is occurring more frequently these days. I drive about 100 miles in my commute every day, and I am floored at what people do to save themselves an extra minute or two.

There is an general increased lack of patience in society, unlike anything we've seen in past decades. Blame it on more people causing congestion, more immediate gratification with the internet, whatever. And it's not just while driving. I see it in lines to get a sandwich. People want what they want at that moment.

The southern part of me just smiles and let them do their thing. I know it'll come back to them eventually.

I'm assuming you're in a fairly big city. I don't see much problem in the less populated areas. If you do a search on "Rude drivers us cities" or something like that, you'll find that Miami consistently ranks high or at the top of cities with rude drivers.

reply to post by Libertygal


This is becoming very frequent in my area as well. I am also finding a fairly steady increase of drivers who blatantly attempt to go out of their way in terms of direction and speed to hit innocent pedestrians

reply to post by Libertygal


Live down in Houston Texas. We are as crazy as ever, but no more so these days than when I moved here. Good luck!!

reply to post by OldMandon


And I think there are more slow people driving in the fast lane than ever before. Consequently I am usually driving in the far right lane, aligned with my political views But, I can assure you I am a gentleman and would NEVER deliberately cut anyone off and let anyone in who knows how to properly use a blinker

Originally posted by charles1952
I'm assuming you're in a fairly big city. I don't see much problem in the less populated areas. If you do a search on "Rude drivers us cities" or something like that, you'll find that Miami consistently ranks high or at the top of cities with rude drivers.

I do not, no. I actually live in a very small town, and the closer I get to home and away from the cities is actually when it gets the worst.

I was also noting people more and more being unable to maintain a lane, but have just attributed that to cell phones. But, it is rather frightening to round a curve on a two lane road at 55 mph to suddenly see someone in your lane heading right at you 3/4 of the way in your lane! Nowhere to go but up or down steep, tree-filled embankments!

When I get closer the the cities, I see what others have mentioned, slow people in fast lanes, people cutting others off, not using signals, etc.

This light jumping thing just has me a bit disturbed, is all.

Originally posted by Libertygal
Is this simply a selfish move from "entitled" people who don't think they have to wait their turn?

Yes. That is exactly what they are thinking. And it sounds like its spreading fast - people would have the attitude that because someone has done it to them, they can do it the next time they're waiting to turn left, and so forth, setting off a chain reaction of douche's. There is no other acceptable answer to your query, unless there is an ambulance or something trying to get through, there is no excuse for blatantly just going when you are supposed to give way.

Is this happening in other areas, or is this just a local phenomenon in my area?

I live in Australia, so for us it is opposite, in that people would do it on RIGHT turns, not left. Luckily for me, There is only ONE intersection I have seen it happen ever, and more than once actually, this is because the gap between the person about to turn right, and the cars waiting at the other side of the intersection is a lot bigger than your average intersection, leaving the person who is turning an extra second or two to turn before they come close to the other party. There is time to do it in this instance, albeit it still illegal, if you are fast and have a powerful engine to backup your selfish ambitions, but once or twice I've seen people try to do it in a p.o.s car and they screwed it hard, not enough to cause an accident with cars making contact, but close. And like OP says.. they just drive off after they make their illegal turn, and everyone else is left to deal with the chaos that this one jackass has started.

I think driving is the area of my life in which I find most frustrating, it is where people's selfish traits really shine through. It amazes me how many people in my city, which is only just over a million people large, think they are superior to other people, for whatever reasons they justify in their own heads. You can just see it in the way some people conduct themselves on the road - I can't imagine what it's like driving in a bigger city, I would go nuts! I would love to go further, but I could write for days on this issue, and it would just make me angry, so that is all for now.

reply to post by OldMandon

It happens, and I agree that it is occurring more frequently these days. I drive about 100 miles in my commute every day, and I am floored at what people do to save themselves an extra minute or two.

I really hope that is all it is, is simple impatience. I mean I would rather think that than to think people are doing it for nefarious reasons. It did cross my mind, obviously.

A lot of the people where I live drive the huge 4x4 trucks and SUV's, so having a wreck with them will just trash most cars and do next to nothing to them, anyway.

I too, live in the south, but it has gotten so bad here, or maybe I am just getting older and more aware of my mortality, that it is getting really frightening to drive anymore. I consider that it is perhaps my age, though I am not *that* old. Maybe I am just feeling old today!

reply to post by knightwhosaysnih


Well, I appreciate you replying, I do understand the frustration!

It is fascinating to find out that it is not just a local prblem, it really adds some food for thought about whether it is something people are doing for time or entitlement mindedness, though.

I can see your line of resoning about "someone did it to me, so I will do it back", too. I have seen people do that in real-time when they get cutt off by one person, then they go do it to someone else, so it is a valid statement. It just doesn't make sense, because they aren't paying back the person that did it to them, so I guess if you believe in karma..

You are right though, driving can be very frustrating in cities, so I just listen to some music I like on the rare times Ihave to go to a big city, or make my husband drive! I really have to not pay attention, because I end up being a back-seat driver and making him nuts! I try hard not to, though!

Anyone in WA and drive in Bellevue? Every freaking day. It's annoying. I'm considering buying a truck and slapping an ARM bumper on it. Vroom Vroom. Sorry about your Mercedes.

Originally posted by DragonRain311
reply to post by Libertygal

 

This is becoming very frequent in my area as well. I am also finding a fairly steady increase of drivers who blatantly attempt to go out of their way in terms of direction and speed to hit innocent pedestrians

We had a rash of that here too, for a while, but they had an awareness campaign and it seems to have slacked off a good deal. I cannot say they went out of their way, as I wasn't there, but the awareness campaign was about reminding people that pedestrians had the right of way in crosswalks, regardless of the color of the lights.

I guess some people thought you had to cross during X time, and if you were too slow, too bad for you! Road kill!

We do always seems to have a lot of pedestrians being hit during seasonal time changes too, and I always chalked it up to having to drive during the dark in Winter, when people were so used to driving in the light during the Summer. But, people here also seem oblivious to wearing light and/or reflective clothing.

I have come upon many pedestrians and even bicycle riders wearing inappropriate clothing at night, and scared the bejeezus out of me because I didn't see them until I almost hit them!

Luckily, my car now has headlights like mini suns. People constantly flash their brights at me, till I flash mine back. Then, they are blinded for life! J/K, I just keep them clean, as we live in the boonies, and deer are very common all the time.

Originally posted by Domo1
Anyone in WA and drive in Bellevue? Every freaking day. It's annoying. I'm considering buying a truck and slapping an ARM bumper on it. Vroom Vroom. Sorry about your Mercedes.

I power braked at an intersection once, at the red light, waiting for the light to change.

In a Honda Civic.

I know. I know.

I KNEW the guy in his 4x4 truck with the mud tires and all jacked up was going to jump that light. Needless to say, I won, even in my little Honda Civic. He literally could have driven over me, but he stopped. I was scared, and only did it once, but it would have been new car time for me! I did pick an intersection with a camera. Heheh.

You would notice the stupidity even more if you drove a motorcycle. Each and every little mistake morons on the road make can easily kill you. I can't count how many times some retard on a cellphone has almost nailed me. Even not on the cellphone, people don't pay a whole lot of attention. I chalk it up to the fact that people feel really safe, with the 23487294782389 airbags and whatnot they have in their cars.

If my tank of a surburban tangled with a new car, The new car would be toast, my tank would have a tiny ding in the bumper

Could be the bad economy and folks are trying to get that bank note paid off a la YOU.

But I would say it is an increase in folks either not knowing what their signal means or not paying attention. I have seen a pick up of that here as well, and think a few folks may need to go back to their local DMV and get tested. It still amazes me how many folks sit at a four way intersection with stop signs and NOBODY knows who goes first. They all just sit there. The they all decide to go at once. Nobody knows...it's lunacy!!

reply to post by TKDRL


Just today I saw a biker nearly get creamed by an idiot on a cell phone. You have got to have brass balls to drive a pocket rocket these days. I think cell phone/facebook society are partially responsible for two things: 1. Inability to truly be where you are. 2. Decreased crime rates. Isn't that interesting?

reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe


In case anybody was wondering, I always go first, cuz I know the others will wait for someone to tell them what to do and if I wave them on they will just get confused. I tried for like 10 years until I decided that I can not help them, so I shall lead by example.

Originally posted by TKDRL
You would notice the stupidity even more if you drove a motorcycle. Each and every little mistake morons on the road make can easily kill you. I can't count how many times some retard on a cellphone has almost nailed me. Even not on the cellphone, people don't pay a whole lot of attention. I chalk it up to the fact that people feel really safe, with the 23487294782389 airbags and whatnot they have in their cars.

If my tank of a surburban tangled with a new car, The new car would be toast, my tank would have a tiny ding in the bumper

As much as i hate the LOUD motorcycles...I love them just as much. I try to be very careful while driving. I use both my mirrors and even turn in my seat to look either way when switching lanes. Why? Because I have almost hit people on motorcycles at least twice for being in that tiny little blind spot. It scared me nearly to death both times. I have avoided it since then, by actually turning to look...but boy, sometimes you guys are hard to see!

reply to post by DondeEsta?


I stick to scenic routes like cabbot trail when I ride these days. I don't go anywhere near highways or cities if I can avoid it. Those kinds of roads are a lot more fun to ride on, the least amount of traffic the better for me. My bike is bright green, with a boatload of specially made reflector stickers on it, same as my leather and helmet. No way you could be able to miss me if you were paying attention, yet so many people do.

Originally posted by DondeEsta?
reply to post by Kangaruex4Ewe

 

In case anybody was wondering, I always go first, cuz I know the others will wait for someone to tell them what to do and if I wave them on they will just get confused. I tried for like 10 years until I decided that I can not help them, so I shall lead by example.

You and me both!! I have waited for the person "waving" for me to go first as it was their turn, and it is like they just can not move period. A deer in the headlights look is the best I can describe it!